LANGLEY — The Langley Middle School wrestling team held its final home stand Tuesday, and 10 grapplers out of 22 won at least one match.

The team faced three other squads from two middle schools in Oak Harbor and one from Anacortes, in a “dual meet” designed to give as many athletes as possible the chance to wrestle. Unlike high school, the boys wrestle for 1½ minutes each over three rounds.

No team scores were kept as coaches spent their energies arranging individual match-ups.

This was a big deal for the younger kids; in their eyes, wrestling in the high school gym truly is the big time.

The famous single mat under the high-intensity light was absent (there were two mats and four wrestlers at a time) but just being here was motivating. Lots of parents showed up, a point not lost on the boys.

“Having our matches in Erikson Gym gives the kids a chance to watch what we do so when they get here, they’ll be familiar with the program,” Cougar coach Jim Thompson said. “They are really pumped up for this.”

Cougar seventh-graders who won their matches included Beck Davis, Steven Poolman, Tyler Nelson, Scott Campbell and Jordan Parrick.

Eighth-graders Christian Justice, Patrick Monell and Jake Leonard won as well.

Monell had a hard-fought contest against Panther Ryan Gilman from Oak Harbor Middle School.

“It was my second hardest fight in two years,” he said. “He was in better shape and stronger than any of the other guys.”

Monell described what happened on his mat when he was down 10-5.

“I won because I switched up on him,” he recalled. “I was on the bottom and managed to get out of it ‘cause I just wanted to win.”

Davis used a half-Nelson for his win in the first round, his sixth this season. “It happened faster than I thought it would, but not so fast I forgot all the things the coach taught us,” he said.

Davis’ first round pin was a sign of good things to come. “Beck’s come a long way this year,” the coach said.

Justice found himself in the up position at the start of his second round.

“I arm-chopped him and used a knee block to take him down and flatten him out,” he said. “I switched to a regular half-Nelson for the pin position to roll him over.”

Thompson noted he’s got some tough grapplers. “Not all,” he said. “Some are here just to do some kind of sport, but others are really motivated and the results are clear. Anything can happen in wrestling.”

As each wrestler went to the mat, loud and exuberant yells of encouragement came from teammates. During the match, Thompson and assistant coach Jason Mannie kept close watch, offering sage advice to those new to the sport.

“Keep your head up.”

“Don’t slack off.”

“Switch him over.”

“Don’t lock your arms.”

By turns, the boys attempted a series of falls, takedowns, elevations, switches, sit-and-turns, half-Nelsons and pins. Some worked out, others didn’t.

“That’s how they learn,” Thompson noted.

On Tuesday, March 17, the team travels to Oak Harbor, then finishes the year March 26 at finals in Granite Falls.

Thompson hopes the core of this team gives serious thought to continuing their progress as Falcons.

“These kids really are the future of South Whidbey High School wrestling and I encourage them to try out,” the coach said. “Something for all of us to look forward to.”

Jeff VanDerford can be reached at 221-5300 or sports@south

whidbeyrecord.com.